Machine for seaming lids on cans



Feb. 23, 1937.

, F. o. L. cHoRLToN 2,071,683

MACHINE FOR SEAMING LIDS 0N CANS Filed Dec. 5, 193.4 7 sheets-sheet 1- l ,ewr/fyfyk 0. L. Chor/fof?,

Feb. 23, 1937. F, Q CHORLTON' 2,071,683

MACHINE FOR SEAMING LIDS 0N CANS Filed Dec. 5, 1954 7 sheets-smet 4 yf f o 7" w f2 Feb- 23, 1937- F. o. l.. CHRLTON 2,071,683

MACHINE FOR SEAMING LIDS ON GNS Filed Dec. 5,' 1934 7 SheetS-Sheet 5 A5,ff/76.57.

Feb. 23, 1937.

Filed Deo.. 5, 1934 F. o. l.. cHoRLToN 2,071,683 MACHINE FOR SEAMING LIDS ON -CANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 F/oHk-(gsycaf Le V/ Chor/fom Mfwm ATTQR N E YS Feb. 23, 1937. F Q L, CHRLTON 2,071,683

MACHINE FOR SEAMING LIDS ON CANS Filed Deo. 5,' 1954v 7 sheets-sheet 7 //7 Ve/vo/v nk 0.L Chor/fon,

WMM www Patented Feb. 23, 1937;

UNITED STATES orifice 2,071,683 MACHINE FOR SEAMING LEDS N (JANS Frank Oscar Levi Charlton, Bury, England Application December 5, 1934, Serial No. 756,165

En Great Britain 9 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for seaming cn the lids of cans, and more particularly when the process of seaming has to be carried on .in a chamber which in some cases may be subjected to a vacuum, and in other cases may be charged with an inert gas so that the can during the process of seaming is either subjected to vacuum or charged with an inert gas, as the case may be.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation necessarily drawn, from considerations of space, to a comparatively small scale and shows the general arrangement of the machine. i

Fig. 2 is an elevation to a larger scale of the por- D tion of the machine above the line X, X, and

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the portion below the said line.

These two views when placed in line, together constituting a view similar to Fig. i but to a larger scale.

Figs. 4, 5 and 5A are side elevations corresponding with Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5A is the portion on line y, y.

Fig. 5B is a part plan in section on a horizontal plane passing through the axis of. the driving shaft.

Figs. 6 to 18 illustrate the construction of the separate mechanisms..

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation showing a portion of Fig. 5 with the table and the auxiliary sealing chamber in medial section; Fig. 'Z is a fragmentary side elevation showing the centering means; Fig. 8 is a corresponding plan; Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the centering sectors; Fig. l0 is a plan view of one of the gripper bars; Fig. 11 is a detail View showing the conveyorfreewheel device, worm wheel and worm; Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevation in medial section showing the bottom vof the main casing and the rotary valve; Fig. 13 is a plan View of the bevel gearing for operating the rotary valve; Fig. 14 is a fragmentary elevation showing the device which renders the clenching mechanism inoperative un- ,.5 til the can is in position to be clenched; Fig. 15

is a fragmentary plan view showing the mode of actuating the can seaming rollers; Fig. 16 is a detail vshowing the rack and pinion for actuating the shaft M2 of the gripper mechanism; Fig. 17 0 is a fragmentary portion of Fig. 1 to a larger scale showing the means for operating the gripper bars and the clenching mechanism, and Fig. 18 is a detail View showing how the clenching and lid locating mechanism is operated.

Referring first to Figs. l to 6:-A is the main the left of the December 14, 1933 frame of the machine and it is so arranged as to provide a main vertical member al, to one face of which the main mechanisms to be operated are attached, and to the'opposite face of which the sleeves which carry the cam-.operated sliding members are attached; the top a2 of the frame carries a main bracket for the driving shaft and this is so arranged that the vertical cam shaft driven thereby is located in a suitable recess and in convenient relationship to the said sleeves and sliding members. The arrangement permits the location .of the mechanisms for actuating the several parts to be disposed in vertical succession with a corresponding arrangement of the cams in vertical succession on the cam shaft. This general .arrangement gives a very compact, convenient and accessible design.

The main driving shaft B is situated at the top of the machine and is driven by belt and pulleys bi from amotor or line shaft. A pulley b2 on the end of this shaft drives the vacuum pump, and the inert gas exhauster when one is fitted.

The shaft B drives the seaming head c through spiral wheels bill, bil or other suitable gear and is geared to the vertical cam shaft D through the combined worm dill and worm-wheel dl and slipping clutch d2, d3. On this vertical shaft the cams operating the motions of the machine are situated. 'By their disposition in this way all the cams can be designed with operating faces on which the cam rollers run parallel to the axis of the shaft, which enables them to be easily constructed, inspected and adjusted.

One of the bearings of. the shaft B is carried in the casing E which also encloses the gear wheels by which the shaft is connected with the seaming head c, the latter being enclosed in the casing C, to the upper facing of which the casing E is attached, thus ensuring alignment between the parts connected by the gear wheels. The other end of the shaft B is carried in bearings formed in a casing F which also serves to enclose lthe bearings of the cam shaft D and the worm wheel dl which is concentrically arranged in relation to a slipping clutch d2, d3, one element d2 of which is keyed to the upper end of, the shaft D, and the other element d3 of which is pressed into adjustable frictional contact by the springs d4 with an annular flange on the inside of the rim of the worm wheel all, said flange being interposed between the two members cl2 and d3.

This drive forms an exceedingly convenient arrangement for coupling the two shafts B and D which rotate at widely-differing Speeds, and the interposition ofthe slipping clutch obviates the necessity of providing the usual safety shearing pin vor the like safety device, which pin is, in the hurry of re-starting, frequently replaced by one of a material not suitable for the purpose; the slipping clutch enables the maximum torque which it is considered safe to transmit to the mechanism to be adjusted accurately, and should a jam occur it is simply necessary to clear the jam and start up the machine which remains in correct adjustment.

Where the nature of the movement to be imparted to a particular device or devices is such as can be derived from cams, cranks or eccentrics, the latter are mounted on the single cam shaft D.

The seaming head c located in a main sealing chamber C is continuously driven and the seaming rollers c are moved radially into operative relationship with the can lid through the instrumentality of actuating rollers c6 bearing on a vertically adjustable member c4', which to render the seaming head operative is raised vertically.

The member c4 which is rotated at the same speed as the seaming head is moved vertically upwardly by a cam cl bearing on a cam roller c2 mounted on an adjustable sliding transmission member c3 non-rotationally carried in the sleeve c4; a roller 09 on the opposite end of the sliding transmission member c3 engages the vertical arm of a bellcrank lever cli), the horizontal arm of which has the usual roller and groove connection with the member c4 (see Fig. 15) the horizontal portion of the lever cl may be bow-shaped so as to embrace the member cri with pins c2@ in opposite arms engaging a groove 02| in cll, or the bellcranks may be duplicated and the roller o9 engage the centre of a connecting part between the levers.

The sealing chamber C in some forms of machines is so arranged that a vacuum may be maintained therein; in other types of machines an atmosphere of inert gas is maintained in the chamber C, which is provided with an inspection Window cll and the usual gauge cl2. At the bottom c|5 of the chamber C is an opening cl3 controlled by a shutter valve H.

In order to ensure the proper release of the cans in succession from the seaming rollers, a vertical movable rod G is mounted so as to be slidable concentrically Within the casing E; reciprocating motion is imparted to this rod by means of a cam gi mounted on the cam shaft D; the cam imparts, through the roller g2, reciprocating movement to the sliding transmission member g3 carrying the Yroller g2 and nonrotatably mounted in a guide g4; a bellcrank lever g5 is pivotally carried from the guide g4 and one arm of the lever is connected by a link to the sliding member g3; the other arm is connected by the connecting rods g5 to one end of a pair of levers g1 fulcrumed on the link g8 carried from the casing E, the other end of the said levers being pivotally connected to a collar g9 secured to the rod G by lock nuts which permit a vertical adjustment of the rod G relatively to the collar. This collar is so adjusted and the cam gl is so set that the bottom end of the rod G is, Whilst a can is being seamed, almost in contact with the top of the lid thereof, and the shape of the cam is such that the lower end of the rod follows the downward movement of the can when the sealing operation is completed; if therefore a can should jam the rod G effects its release.

The bottom cl' of the casing C which, as stated, forms the main sealing chamber is provided with a transverse rectangular groove in which slides a shutter H, the surfaces being scraped to form a gas-tight it. Normally this shutter, which constitutes the valve for the opening cl3, is closed, but when, preparatorily to a can being introduced into the sealing chamber C and after the opening cl 3 has been put into iluidtight connection with the interior of an auxiliary chamber M (hereinafter described), the shutter H is opened to permit the introduction of the can without undue loss of vacuum or gas from the sealing chamber.

The shutter H is operated by the cam hl, the arrangement being as follows2-The cam engages the cam roller h2 mounted on the head h5 of a sliding transmission member h3 non-rotatably mounted in the guide h4. A xed bracket h1 in which the cam shaft D rotates freely is carried from the main frame by a suitable transverse bar and forms the fulcrum of a lever ht, the upper end of which is connected by a link b9 to the sliding shutter H; the other end or tail hlt) of the lever h slides in a transverse hole in the pivot pin hi I.

The cam hl is so shaped and timed that it imparts, just before the can is introduced into the sealing chamber C, an opening movement to the valve H and the ratio of the arms of the lever h8, hill is such that a rapid opening movement is imparted.

K is the main table of the machine and it is adjustably attached to the facing al of the main frame so that it can be raised and lowered to suit cans of diierent vertical dimensions.

M is the auxiliary sealing chamber or cylinder (shown in Fig. 6, and in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 1) mounted on the table K so as to be capable of sliding movement relatively thereto concentrically with the axis of the seaming head.

Whilst the can is being fed so as to come under the seaming head the chamber M occupies its lowest position with its top below the table K; when the can has been concentrically located relatively to the seaming head and is ready to be introduced therein the cylinder M is moved upwardly so that its upper edge makes joint with the gasket jointing ring mll which is inset in the plate mll having a central opening coinciding with the opening cl3 in the bottom of the sealing casing C.

Vertical movement is imparted to the cylinder M by a cam mi mounted on the shaft D engaging a roller m2 on the sliding transmission member m3 mounted in the guide m4; the roller m5 on the other end of the transmission member engages with the plane surface of a lever m6 mounted on a shaft ml eccentrically pivoted in a bracket carried from the table K; levers m8, one at each side of the central axis oi the machine, are connected by links mfl to the chamber M, the pins connecting the links passing through slots in the portion Kl of the table K which encircles the chamber M; or as shown in Fig. 6, the pins m13 which connect the links m9 to the said chamber may be Wholly enclosed in the thick bottom mit. The levers m8 are fitted with springs ml which return the chamber M to its lowermost position. mM is a screw mounted in a bracket attached to the lever m8 and is used to adjust the angle between m8 and me.

The amount of vertical movement to be imparted to the seaming cylinder will vary in accordance With the vertical position in which the table K is set to accommodate the different heights of cans, and the travel of the sealing cylinder will therefore vary in accordance With the distance at'which the table is set below the sealing chamber C, as described in my British Patent No. 331,343 of 1931.

` By providing they arm m6 with a plain surface which engages the roller m5 and pivoting the arm to the table when the latter is lowered, the disrtance of the roller m5 from the pivoting axis of the bellcrank lever will be reduced and the velocity ratio due to the bellcrank lever increased. The adjustment for the movement of the chamber lVI is therefore automatically obtained by the movement of the table.

The eccentric pivoting of the bellcrank lever enables the upper position of the chamber M to be adjusted so that it exercises the necessary pressure on the gasket ring mll) to ensure a gastight joint.

P is the movable table on which the can is supported, and by which it is moved into proper relationship with the seaming mechanism; the table has a shank pi concentrically arranged within the boss of the ch-amber M and movement is imparted to the table by the cam pl engaging the roller p2 on the sliding transmission member p3 non-rotatably mounted in the guide p4. The other end of the member p3 carries a roller p5 which engages a lever p mounted on the shaft pl.

Mounted on the shaft p1 is an actuating lever p8, the curved end of which engages the adjustable flange p9 on the lower end of the shank pl2 which is a continuation of the hollow shank plll of the movable table; the lever p8 is actuated by the lever p6 through a lever pl I connected to p6 by a compression spring housed in the spring box pZl, and by the adjustable stop p22; this spring provides the elastic upward pressure on the can as it comes to the beading position. 'I'he cam pl is so shaped and timed that it imparts vertical movement to the lifting table after the sealing cylinder is in position and the valve or shutter H has been opened, and in its top position the table brings the can lid into operative position under the seaming rollers.

The shank of the moving table is made in two concentric parts plll and pl2 axially slidable relatively to each other, the two sliding parts being fitted with a clamping bracket p13 so that the distance of the flange p9 from the lifting table may be adjusted to accommodate different lengths of cans; `a guide pld being provided to prevent turning.

The lifting table P is provided with a centering device T (see Fig. 6) comprising two centering sectors T which t in the groove between the two flanges t5 formed in the rim of the table P. The sectors have pivoted to them the upper ends of two pairs of links t5, and the lower ends of the respective pairs of links are pivotally attached to a transverse pivot pin tl, passing through a hole in the tension rod tl, and through -a slotted hole in the table shank plll; the rod tl passes down through the hollow bore of the two part shank pi, plz of the table P passing out of the part pl2 through the flange p9 (see Fig. 3) the lower end of the rod tl is anchored by two tension springs t3 (see Fig. 5); the upper ends of the springs are attached to a cross bar t4 secured in position on the lower part of the rod tl by nuts HG; the lower ends of the springs are fixed to a cross bar tll carried by a slider tl2 adjustably mounted on a bracket H3; a stop arm t2 is also secured to the bracket tl3 and by contact with the lower nut tit serves adjustably to limit the downward movement of the rod tl. It will be seen from Figs. 3 and '7, that as the table P is raised to lift the can to the seaming rollers, the two springs t3 by the pull they exert on the rod tl through the cross bar tllI arrest the upward movement of the rod tl and pivot pin t1, and that this produces relative movement between the pin t1 and the table P. Movement of the table P and sectors T relatively to the pins tl carried by the part tl and permitted by the slot in the part plll, draws the upper ends of the links t6 together and this causesthe sectors T to close in and centre the can J and hold it fixed centrally as the table P ascends, the springs t3 yielding and providing the constant pull on the pivot pin.

It will be seen from Fig. 6 that the table shank pill ts the bore or" the ybottom mit of the chamber M, and the bore of the shank ml5 of the latter.

R are the grippers by which the cans are moved along the table into position over the lifting table P; Ythe grippers are given a transverse and longitudinal reciprocating motion, the former to grip the can and the latter to propel it along.

Each gripper R is carried by two horizontal levers T pivoted to the ends of two levers T6 respectively keyed to two longitudinally traversing bars T1; the four bars T7 and cross bars T8 form a frame.

The oppositely disposed pairs of bars T are connected to the machine frame so as to be angularly and longitudinally movablel relatively thereto', and at the right hand ends these bars are connected together by a cross bar T8 in which the bars are rotatable. The cross bar T8 is connected by links Tl8 to the end of a lever Tl4 (see Figs. 3 and 5) keyed to a shaft Tl'l, said links being pivotally connected at one end by the pin Tl5 to the centre of the cross bar T8 and being connected by the pin T2l to the end of the lever Tl4. The lever Tl4 is shown in Fig. 5, but is not shown in Fig. l. The end of the lever TIS is operated by the cam Tl0 (see Fig. 3) the lever having a depending roller which lits a cam groove in the cam Tll'.v The lever TlS is arranged tangentially with reference to the cam groove and is therefore reciprocated as the cam Tle rotates; this reciprocating movement is transmitted through the vertical shaft T l l, lever Tl d and links Tl8 to the transverse bar T8; thus the cam imparts longitudinal motion to the frame comi3 prising the bar T8 and the four pivoted bars T'l, and through the latter, the levers T6 and the lever T to the gripper bars R.

One bar of each pair of bars T'l has slidably keyed to it a lever T9, and the grippers R are rei,

ciprocated transversely by a pair of radius rods Tl ll connected at the upper ends to the respective levers T9 and at the lower ends to the end of a lever Tll keyed to a shaft Tl2. The lever Tll is reciprocated by a cam Tl having a cam groove in its lower face with which engages a pin roller T2 attached to the head of the slidingtransmission member T3, non-rotationally guided in the bracket T4. The member T3 carries a toothed rack T30 (see Fig. 16) which gears with a pinion T3l keyed to the shaft Tl2. The rack and pinion are housed in a casing T32 formed by an extension of the bracket T4. The angular movement of the shaft Tl2 is employed as described below toactuate a detent-controlled lever to operate the clenching gear.

The rods T1 extend for a considerable length over the tables, and there are two pairs of levers T and the levers T6 on each pair of rods; the respective adjacent ends of the levers T are connected together by respective transverse rails R which (see Figs. and l0) constitute the grippers, the gaps in which as they move inwardly, engage the can. The cans are led to the grippers by projections wl on the chain conveyor W which is driven by the chain Wheels on shafts w2 and w3 (see Fig. 5A). A spur 'wheel wfi (see Fig. ll) is connected to the shaft w3 by a free-wheel device w5 and engages a rack w formed on the end of one of the bars rl. When the bar r1 and the grippers are moved in the direction of the arrow w1 the conveyor chain feeds forwardly and feeds the cans to the gripper R. At the end of this stroke the gripper returns but does not in its return movement drive the conveyor, but grips the foremost can and carries it flrst under the clenching mechanism, the can having a dwell whilst the clenching is effected, after which the can is brought by the next movement of the gripper over the centre of the lifting table where there is another dwell whilst the can is centered and sealed; at the next stroke of the gripper the can is removed from the lifting table.

The clenching mechanism S is of the type described in the specification to my Patent No. 1,997,102. The mechanism described inmy said prior specification is operated by a lever having a toothed quadrant (shown at I6 and I 6a Fig. 1 of my said specification). The clenching mechanism (see Figs. 2, 4 and 18 herein) is as described in my said specification, S30 being the clenching l members, 53| an operating member having bevel teeth S32 with which gear corresponding teeth on the lever S5 engage, the rack to hold the nested lids being shown at SM (Fig. 4).

The clenching mechanism is actuated by the same cam ri and shaft r|2 which operate the grippers; there is loosely mounted on the shaft H2 a lever sl (see Fig. 17) on which is pivoted a pawl s2 adapted to engage a projection r2 xed to the shaft H2; when this pawl engages with the said projection the lever sl is moved upwardly and, through the rod s3, actuates one arm s4 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 18) of a bellcrank lever s4, S5 mounted on a shaft s6; the portion .S5 of the bellcranl lever is a portion of a bevel wheel sector which gears with the bevel wheel by which motion is imparted to the clenching apparatus. The detent s2 is, when there is no can under the clenching mechanism, rendered inoperative to be engaged by the projection T when the latter commences to make its upward stroke by a lever S11 pivoted at S8 and connected by the rod 89 to a lever sli) (see Fig. 14) fixed to one end of a shaft sl I on which shaft is also keyed a lever SI2 the upper end of which is connected to a vtransversely movable part SIS eng-aged by the successive cans as they come under the clenching mechanism, the arrangement being such that when there is no can in position to be clenched the lever SI2 is not actuated by the part sl?. and at the beginning of the upward stroke of the projection rZEi the lever si holds the detent s2 clear of the projection T20, so that no motion is imparted to the lever si to actuate the clenching mechanism.

In those cases in which it is desired to effect the seaming process in a seaming and sealing casing C charged with an atmosphere of an inert gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen, it is, of course, necessary to exhaust the air from the chamber M and the can before the shutter H is opened; in such cases a port ol (see Figs. 12 and 13) is formed in the bottom of the main sealing chamber C,

which port opens into the interior of the chamber M when the latter is in its top position; this port communicates with the port v2 in the casing 123 of the rotary valve V which just prior to the opening of the shutter H, puts the interior of the chamber M and can into communication through a port v4 with an exhausting pump, said valve then closing, whereupon the shutter valve H is opened and the can introduced into the main sealing chamber to be seamed. After the can has been retracted into the chamber M and the valve H closed there will be a charge of the inert gas in the chamber M and Where it is desired, for reasons of economy, to save this gas, the said rotary valve connects the said port ul, through the port o5, to a suitable pump which withdraws the said inert gas from the chamber M and returns it to the main sealing chamber C after which the said port vl is connected by the port U5 to the atmosphere and the chamber M lowered and the can removed.

'Ihe valve is operated by connecting it to the cam shaft D by bevel gear v1.

V'I'he pump is operated by any suitable driving means connecting it to the driving shaft B, for instance, to the pulley b2.

k2 is a vertical screw jack for lifting and lowering the table K when the securing bolts are slackened to adjust the table.

Having now fully described my invention I declare that what I claim is:-

1. In a machine for seaming lids on cans, in combination ;a horizontal driving shaft; a vertical shaft; a seaming head driven by said Vertical shaft; spur gearing connecting the vertical shaft to the driving shaft; radially movable seaming rollers carried by the seaming head, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, means connecting the said member to the seaming rollers by which the latter are moved radially by the said memberg'a cam for operating the slidable member; a vertically movable table in alignment with the seaming head, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, connecting means between said member and the table by which when the member is moved horizontally the table is moved vertically, a cam for actuating the said member; lid stacking means; means for conveying the cans to a position in alignment with the stackf of lids, then onto the moving table and thence to the discharge end of the machine, cams to operate the said conveying means; a lid locating and clenching mechanism adapted to transfer the lowermost lid of the stack of lids ontoa can and to clench it in position thereon, a lever adapted to operate the mechanism, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, means connecting the said member to the said lever to operate it, a cam to operate the said member; a vertical cam shaft; a friction clutch comprising two elements with plain frictional surfaces pressed into abutting contact by adjustable springs, one of which elements is connected to the cam shaft; speed reducing gear connecting the other element to the driving shaft; the parts of the several connecting means primarily operated by the several above recited slidable cam-operated members being spaced in vertical succession in and with the said members moving in a common vertical plane passing through the axis of the cam shaft; the

cams recited as operating the said members being mounted on the said cam shaft, each having a cam surface the generatrix of which is a line maintained parallel with the axis of the cam shaft.

2. In a machine for seaming lids on cans, in combination;a horizontal driving shaft; a vertical shaft; a seaming head driven by said vertical shaft; spur gearing connecting the vertical shaft to the driving shaft; radially movable seaming rollers carried by the seaming head, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, means connecting the said member to the seaming rollers by which the latter are moved radially when the said member is moved horizontally, a cam for operating the slidable member; a vertically movable table in alignment with the seaming head, transversely movable centering sectors carried hv the table; a vertical rod having limited axial movement relatively to the table; a spring attached to said rod resisting upward movement of the rod, a transverse pivot pin attached to the rod, pairs of links pivoted at their lower ends on the pivot pin, the upper ends extending outwards and being pivoted to pins on the respective sectors, which links, when there is relative movement between the vertical rod and table as the latter is raised, pull the sectors inwardly and centre a can located between them; a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, connecting means between said member and the table by which the latter is moved vertically when the member is moved horizontally, a cam for actuating the said member; lid stacking means; means for conveying the cans to a position in alignment with the stack of lids, then onto the moving table and thence to the discharge end of the machine; cams to operate the said conveying means; a lid locating and clenching mechanism adapted to transfer the lowermost lid of the stack of lids onto a can and to clench it in position thereon; a lever adapted to operate the mechanism, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, means connecting the said member to the lever for operating the lid locating and clenching mechanism, which when the member is moved horizontally operate the clenching mechanism, a cam to operate said member; a vertical cam shaft; a friction clutch comprising two elements with plain frictional surfaces pressed into abutting contact by adjustable springs, one of which elements is connected to the cam shaft; speed reducing gear connecting the other element to the driving shaft; the parts of the several connecting means primarily operated by the several above recited slidable cam-operated members being spaced in vertical successiondn and with the said members moving in a common vertical plane passing through the axis of the cam shaft; the cams recited as operating. the said members being mounted on the said cam shaft, and each having a cam surface the generatrix of Y which is a line maintained parallel vto the Aaxis of the cam shaft.

3. In a machine for seaming lids on cans, in combination;a horizontal driving shaft; a vertical shaft; a seaming head driven by said vertical shaft; spur gearing connecting the vertical shaft to the driving shaft; radially movable seaming Irollers carried `by the seaming head, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, meansconnecting the said member to the seaming rollers by which the latter are moved radially when the said member is moved horizontally, a cam for operating the slidable member; a vertically movable table in alignment with the seaming head, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, connecting means between said member and the table which when the member is moved horizontally move the table vertically, a cam for actuating the said member; lid stacking means; `two pairs of adjacent parallel and clenching bars extending across the machine to which simultaneous reciprocating-motion and oppositely directed to-and-fro angular movements are imparted, two parallel gripper bars respectively pivoted to levers keyed to the respective pairs of parallel bars by which gripper bars the cans fed to the machine are in succession gripped and moved from under the stack of lidsonto the moving table and thence to the delivery end of the machine,

cam-operated means to reciprocate the parallel bars longitudinally, an operating lever pivoted on an axis parallel with the parallel bars, a lever on one of the bars of an adjacent pair of the parallel bars, a leveren one of the bars of the other adjacent gpair of the parallel bars, radius links connecting the operating lever to the respective levers on the bars, a horizontally slidable camoperated member, means connecting the member to the operating lever which move the latter angularly when the member moves horizontally, a cam to operate `the said member; a lid locating and clenching mechanism adapted to transfer the lowermost lid of the stack of lids onto the can and to clench it in position thereon, a lever adapted to operate the mechanism, a horizontally slidable cam-operatedmember, means connecting the said member to the lever for operating the lid locating mechanism, a cam to operate the said member; a vertical cam shaft; a friction clutch comprising two elements with plain frictional surfaces pressed into abutting contact by adjustable springs, one of which elements is connected tothe cam shaft; speed reducing gear connecting the other element to the driving shaft; the parts of the several connecting means primarily operated by the several above 4recited slidable cam-operated members being spaced in vertical succession in and with the said members moving in a common vertical plane passing through the axis of the cam shaft; the cams recited as operating the said members being mounted on the said cam shaft, and each having a cam surface the generatrix of which is a line maintained parallel to the axis of the cam shaft.

4. In a machine for seaming lids on cans, in combination ;-a horizontal driving shaft; a Vertical shaft; a seaming head driven by said vertical shaft; spur gearing connecting the vertical shaft to the driving shaft; radially movable seaming rollers carried by the seaming head, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, means connecting the said member to the seaming rollers by which the latter are moved radially when the said member is moved horizontally, a cam for operating the slidable member; a vertically movable table in alignment with the seaming head; a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, connecting means ,between said member and the table whichk when the member is moved horizontally move the table vertically, a cam for actuating the said member; lid stacking means; two pairs of adjacent parallel bars extending across the machine to which simultaneous reciprocating motion and oppositely directed to-and-fro angular movements are imparted, two parallel gripper bars respectively pivoted to levers keyed to therespective pairs of the parallel bars by which gripper bars the cans fed to the machine are in succession gripped and moved from under the stack of lids onto the moving table and thence to the delivery end of the machine; cam-operated means to reciprocate the parallel bars longitudinally, a lay shaft parallel with the parallel bars; an operating lever keyed on said shaft; a lever on one of the bars of a pair of the adjacent parallel bars, a lever on one of the bars of the other pair of the adjacent parallel bars, radius links connecting the operating lever to the respective levers on the bars, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, a rack on the said member, a pinion on the lay shaft gearing with the rack, a cam to operate said member; a lid locating and clenching mechanism; a lever adapted to operate the mechanism, a lever loosely mounted on the lay shaft, a pawl pivoted on said lever, a part on the lay shaft adapted to engage the pawl whereupon the lay shaft operates the lid locating and clenching mechanism, a cam-operated part in the track of the cans and` adapted to be displaced laterally by a can when the latter is under the stack of lids; a trip lever located in proximity to the pawl, which lever in its tripping position holds the pawl clear of the projection on the lay shaft, a lever located in proximity to the can-operated part and connected to the trip lever and moved by the cam-operated part, when the latter is displaced, so as to move the trip lever from its tripping position; a vertical cam shaft; a friction clutch comprising two elements with plain frictional surfaces pressed into abutting contact by adjustable springs, one of which elements is connected to the cam shaft; speed reducing gear connecting the other element to the driving shaft; the parts of the several connecting means primarily operated by the several above recited slidable cam-operated members being spaced in vertical succession in and with the said members moving in a common vertical plane passing through the axis of the cam shaft; the cams recited as operating the said members being mounted on the said cam shaft, and each having a cam surface the generatrix of which is a line maintained parallel to the axis of the cam shaft.

5. In a machine for seaming lids on cans, in combination ;-a horizontal driving shaft; a vertical shaft; a seaming head driven by said vertical shaft; spur gearing connecting the vertical shaft to the driving shaft; radially movable seaming rollers carried by the seaming head; a grooved conical cam block concentrically mounted on the seaming head and axially movable thereon, means connecting the conical cam to the seaming rollers to move them into the seaming position, a bellcrank lever with a horizontal bowed arm fitted with pins engaging the groove in the conical cam, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member engaging a vertical arm of said lever, a cam to operate said member; a vertically movable table in alignment with the seaming head, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, connecting means between said member and the table which when the member is moved horizontally move the table vertically, a cam for actuating the said member; lid stacking means; means for conveying the cans to a position in alignment with the stack of lids, then onto the moving table and thence to the discharge end of the machine; cams to operate the said conveying means; a lid locating and clenching mechanism adapted to transfer the lowermost lid of the stack of lids onto a can and to clench it in position thereon, a lever adapted to operate the mechanism, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member; means connecting the said member to the lever for operating the lid locating and clenching mechanism, whereby when the member is moved horizontally the clenching mechanism is operated, a cam to operate the said member; a vertical cam shaft; a friction clutch comprising two elements with plain frictional surfaces pressed into abutting contact by adjustable springs, one of Which e1e ments is connected to the cam shaft; speed reducing gear connecting the other element to the driving shaft; the parts of the several connecting means primarily operated by the several above recited slidable cam-operated members being spaced in vertical succession in and with the said members moving in a common vertical plane passing through the axis of the cam shaft; the cams recited as operating the said members being mounted on the said cam shaft, and each having a cam surface the generatrix of which is a line maintained parallel to the axis of the cam shaft.

Y6. In a machine for seaming lids on cans, in. combination ;-a horizontal driving shaft; a vertical shaft; a seaming head driven by said vertical shaft; spur gearing connecting the vertical shaft to the driving shaft; radially movable seaming rollers carried by the seaming head; camoperated means for moving the seaming rollers into operative position; a casing enclosing the seaming head through the Wall of which the horizontal shaft and a horizontally sliding part of the said means for actuating the seaming roller pass in fluid-tight manner, said casing having an aperture at the bottom in alignment with the seaming head, and the said aperture having a plain external surrounding facing, said casing alsohaving a port opening into the wall of the aperture and into a second external facing on the casing; a rotary valve fitted to the second facing and adapted to connect the port in the casing in succession to three valve casing ports, gearing connecting the valve to the cam shaft; a vertically movable table, means carried by the table for` centering the cans thereon, cam-operated means for reciprocating the table; an axially movable open-topped auxiliary sealing chamber arranged concentrically with the axis of the seaming head, its open top making joint in its upper position with the facing surrounding the aperture of the casing, said sealing chamber in its upper position enclosing the table and can thereon, and in its lower position having its open top slightly below the table top; means for reciprocating the auxiliary chamber, a cam for operating said means; a shutter valve adapted to close the aperture in the casing, means for opening and closing the shutter valve; a cam for operating said means; lid stacking means; a mechanism for locating the lowermost lid of the stack in place on a can and clenching it in position thereon, means for operating the said mechanism; a cam for operating said means; means for conveying the cans to a position in which they are in alignment with said stack, conveying them from the said position onto the movable table, and thence to the delivery side of the machine; cams for operating said conveying means; a vertical cam shaft on which all the above recited cams are located, said cam shafts being connected by a frictionally operated slipping clutch and speed reducing gear to the driving shaft.

7. In a machine for seaming lids on cans, the combination with, a horizont/al driving shaft, a vertical cam shaft driven from the driving shaft, a` seaming head driven from the driving shaft, means for operating the seaming rollers, a cam for operating said means, a vertically movable table in alignment with the seaming head, a cam for imparting reciprocating movement to the table, lid stacking means, a lid locating and clenching mechanism adapted to transfer the lowermost lid of the stack of lids onto the can and clench it in position thereon, and camoperated means for operating the clenching mechanism, of means for conveying the cans from a position in line with a stack of lids and thence to the delivery, comprising;two pairs of adjacent parallel bars extending across the machine to which simultaneous reciprocating motion and oppositely directed to-and-fro angular movements are imparted; two parallel gripper bars respectively pivoted to levers keyed to the respective pairs of adjacent parallel bars, by which gripper bars the cans fed to the machine are in succession gripped and moved from under the stack ci lids onto the moving table and thence to the delivery end of the machine; cam-operated means to reciprocate the parallel bars longitudinally; an operating lever pivoted on an axis parallel with the parallel bars; a lever on one of the bars of a pair of adjacent parallel bars; a lever on one of the bars of the other pair of adjacent parallel bars; radius links connecting the operating lever to the respective levers on the bars; a horizontally slidable cam-operated member; means connecting the member to the operating lever which move the latter angularly when the member moves horizontally.

8. In a machine for seaming lids on cans, the combination with, a horizontal driving shaft, a vertical cam shaft driven from the driving shaft, a seaming head driven from the driving shaft, means for operating the seaming rollers, a cam for operating said means, a vertically movable table in alignment with the'seaming head, a cam for imparting reciprocating movement to the table, lid stacking means, a lid locating and clenching mechanism adapted to transfer the lowermost lid of the stack of lids onto the can and clench it in position thereon, cam-operated means for operating the clenching mechanism, of means for conveying the cans from a position in line with the stack of lids and thence to the delivery; means for operating the locating and clenching mechanism; and tripping means for rendering the said means inoperative except when a can is under the stack of lids; can transfer means, comprising-two pairs of adjacent parallel bars extending across the machine to which simultaneous reciprocating motion and oppositely directed to-and-fro angular movements are imparted, two parallel gripper bars respectivelyr pivoted to levers keyed to the respective pairs of parallel bars by which gripper bars the cans fed to the machine are in succession gripped and moved from under the stack of lids onto the moving table and thence to the delivery end of the machine, cam-operated means to reciprocate the parallel bars longitudinally, a lay shaft parallel with the parallel bars; an operating lever keyed on said shaft; a lever on one of the bars of a pair of adjacent parallel bars, a lever on one of the bars of the other pair of adjacent parallel bars, radius links connecting the operating lever to the respective levers on the bars, a horizontally slidable cam-operated member, a rack on the said member, apinion on the lay shaft gearing with the rack, a cam to operate said member; a lid locating and clenching mechanism, a lever adapted to operate the mechanism, a lever loosely mounted on the lay shaft and connected to the last mentioned lever, a pawl pivoted on said loosely mounted lever, a part on the lay shaft adapted to engage the pawl whereupon the lay shaft operates the lid locating and clenching mechanism, a can-operated part in the track of the cans and adapted to be displaced laterally by a can when the latter is under the stack of lids, a trip lever located in proximity to the pawl, which lever in its tripping position holds the pawl clear of the projection on the lay shaft, a lever located in proximity to the can-operated part connected to the trip lever and moved by the can-operated part, when the latter is displaced, so as to move the trip lever from its tripping position.

9. The combination with the elements claimed in claim 7, of a chain conveyor on the canreceiving side of the machine and in line with the gripper bars; a rack-like extension of one of the gripper bars; a spur wheel rotated by the said rack; a sprocket wheel for driving a, chain; a free-wheel device connecting the spur wheel to the sprocket, whereby each time the gripper bars are moved rearwardly the conveyor chain is moved forwardly.

FRANK OSCAR LEVI CHORLTON. 

